Hand guard and deciduous-tooth erupter



G. T. EPLING HAND GUARD AND DECIDUOUS TOOTH ERUPTER May 12, 1925. 1,537,811

Filed Oct. 20, 1923 d... Man, .925. 1. 1. 11 UNITED STATES PATENT. orncs.

Application filed October 20, 1928. Serial No. 668,787.

To all whom. it may concern: v avoided and also to prevent injury to such Be it known that I, Gfmss T. Ernmc, a parts of the anatomy. citizen of the United States, residing at My improved guard and erupter G com- Welch, in the county of McDowell and pr ses an outer closed end portion 1 parti- State of West Virginia, have invented cerspherical or globular and provided with an tain new and useful Improvements in Hand opening 2 through whichahand of the infant 'Guards' and Deciduous-Tooth Erupters, of is adapted to pass when inserted within said which the following is a specification, refouter or'closed end portion. The opening 2 erence being had to the accompanying draw-- is defined by a substantially cylindrical m ings, sleeve 3- of desired length and which is This invention relates to hand guards adapted to substantially snugly engage and deciduous tooth erupters and has relaaround the fore-arm inwardly of but in tion more particularly to a device of th s close proximity to the wrist so that the ingeneral character especially designed and fant may have relative free movement of I5 adapted for use by infants and 1t 1s anobthe'hand when applied within the guard.

' ject of the invention to provide a device The free end portion of the sleeve 3 at of this general character embodylng novel substantially diametrically opposed points and improved means whereby the infantis 1S provided with the slots 4, said slotsj bein prevented from sucking upon the di ts of spaced lengthwise of the device but dispose 20 the hand and also to permit its use y the in a circumferential direction. If?" infant when teething. Selectively engaged through the desired The invention consists in the details of slots 4 is a tape 5 with its end portions in construction and in the combination and overlying relation. A safety pin 6. or the arrangement of the several parts of my imlike is disposed through the free end porerupter whereby certain important adv'anby the tapes may be engaged with the sleeve tages are attained and the device rendered of a body garment so that the guard is efsimpler, less expensive and otherwise more fectually held against displacement when convenient and advantageous for use, as applied. The spacing of the slots per- 3 The novel features of my invention will the device as the occasions of practice may hereinafter be definitely claimed. require.

In order that my invention may be the The wall of the parti-spherical or globular better understood, I will now proceed to portion 1 of the device is provided with the describe the same with reference to the acopenings 7 to lighten the'weight of the decompanying drawings, wherein vice G and also to permit the circulation of Figure l is a view in perspective of a air therethrough when in applied position. hand guard and deciduous tooth erupter The outer or closed end of the portion-'1' constructed in accordance with an embodiis provided the-reacross with the substanment of my invention and in applied positially radially disposedand outstanding lip tion; and or flange 8 of rubber or kindred material Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view and of such thickness to permit said lip or taken through the device as illustrated in flange to be readily engaged between the Figure 1, an inserted hand being diagramgums of an infant to facilitate the-cutting of matically indicated by broken lines. the teeth. Furthermore this lip or flange 8 As disclosed in the accompanying drawserves to rovide a means whereby a child, ings, G denotes a guard and erupter conthat has con sucking its thumb or finger, structed in accordance with an embodiment will not be frightened of the device. In a of my invention and which is formed of case where the child is nervous to the extent rubber or like material and which device is that the device cannot be used, the device of a substantially fixed formation with the can be given the child to play with until walls, however, possessing suflicient elasit gets used to it and after which time it ticity to permit the same to yield so that can be applied over the hand for the purundue hindrance or interference with the poseof breaking the infant from the habit no I movements of the hand and fore-arm is of placing its digits in the mouth.

proved hand guard and deciduous tooth tionsof the tapes and provides means where- 80 I will be hereinafter more fully set forth. mits adjustable connection of the tapes with 85 The parti-spherical or globular portion 1 of the device is of such diameter to prevent its insertion within the mouth of a child a length sufiicient to do any damage. After the child has passed the teething age, the lip or flange 8 may be readily removed with a pair of scissors or other severing instrument.

The lip or flange 8 is also provided at points therealong with the openings 9 in order to lighten the weight of the device.

It has .been fully demonstrated in practice that my improved hand guard and deciduous tooth erupter will in the majority of cases prevent the habit of thumb sucking being acquired. The lip or flange 8 which the child will insert in its mouth will not enter into the tongue side of the mouth far enough to exert pressure that would change the continuity or formation of the growing jaw bones. The openings 9 in the lip or flange 8 together with the openings 7 in the adjacent part of the portion 1 which comes in contact with the lips will allow air to be drawn therethrough so that no part of the guard will come into the vestibule or between the jaw bones. With the use of my device it is impossible for the child to getthe lip or flange 8 at an angle that would distort or disfigure the maxilla (upper jaw bone) or the mandible (lower jaw bone).

My improved device provides a safe and sure means of preventing many children from having irregular teeth, displacements of: the jaws at the condyle meniscus which would render the jaws and teeth incapacitated for masticating the food properly, causing decay of the teeth and diseases of the gums as well as all of the diseases which are resultant from children not receiving proper nutrition.

From the foregoing description it is parts herein shown in carrying out my 1nvention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture, a hand guard and deciduous tooth erupter comprising a globular body adapted to house the hand and provided in its wall with an opening through which the hand is insertible, and an erupter flange extending outwardly from the outer end of the globular body.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a hand guard and deciduous tooth erupter comprising a globular body adapted to house the hand and provided in its wall with an opening through which the hand is insertible, and an erupter flange extending outwardly from the outer end of the globular body, said flange being disposed radially of the body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a hand guard and deciduous tooth erupter comprising a member adapted to house a hand, and an erupter flange extending outwardly from the'outer end of the member and upon which the child is intended to bite.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

GILES T. EPLING. 

